Lubricating oil reclaiming apparatus



Jan. 19,- 1937. w. sHwALGE LUBRICATING OIL RECLAIMNG'APPARATUs Filed Sept. 14, 1954 Patented Jan. 19, 19,37

UNITED 1s'mrias Aiipxiiziar oFFicE- LUBRICATING OIL RECLAIMING APPARATUS William Schwalge, Chicago, Ill.

This invention relates Application September 14,

6 Claims.

to lubricating oil reclaiming apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for reclaiming or purifying lubricating lubricating oil reclaiming unit which is adapted to filter the oil and heat it to the' point where gasoline, water, are removed. A further filtering and heating and other undesirable materials object is to provide a unit in compact form whereby it can be supported under the hood of an automobile or the like and employed to purify the lubricating oil in the crank case, etc. A f urther object is to provide a reclaiming unit which may be conveniently supported adjacent an internal combustion motor and in which the exhaust gases from the motor may be utilized for evaporating undesirable liquids in the oil. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred em- I bodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in

which- Figure 1 is a broken sectional view of a reclaiming unit embodying `a plan view of Fig. 3, a sectional my invention; Fig. 2,

the unit with the cap removed; detail view of another form of fied form of heating and filtering mechanism.

In the apparatus illustrated in Figs.l 1 and 2, A designates a cylindrical casing member; B,an

inner cylindrical member; ber housed within the and C, a heating meminner cylinder B.

The casing A may be of any suitable construction. It is illustrated in the form of a metal cylinder I0 having an inwardly flange II at its bottom bottom plate.

plate I2, and the plate is receive the outlet pipe I An inlet pipe turned annular which is secured a I3 enters the bottom alsoapertured at I4 to 5. At its upper. side,

the cylinder I0 is provided with a corrugation I6.

The portion above the corrugation I6 is adapted to receive a metal cap I'I which is apertur'ed at I8. The vcap I1 is provided with a lower inner top wall I9 which is provided with an opening at aligned vertically with the opening I8 of the top wall.

The inner cylinder B may also be of any suitable construction.

metal cylinder secured to It is shown in the form of a the bottom plate I2 the corrugation I6. The with an inlet overflow pip cylinder B is equipped e 2l and with an outlet within the cylinder 1934, Serial No. '744,012

I5 which` enters the cylinder preferably at a point just above the bottom plate I2. If desired, the foraminous tube 22 may be placed within the cylinder B to aid in the breaking up of the streams of lubricant entering the inner chamber.

The heating member C is preferably in the form of a metal pipe or tting 23 which extends B and whichis'provided with a cap 24 sealing the upper end of the pipe. The pipe 23 is provided with an intake pipe connection 25 through which exhaust gases from the combustion motor may be passed. An outlet pipe connection 26 for the exhaust gases extends through the bottom of the tube 23, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The oil inlet pipe I3 with a valve, as indicated which the volume of i'low paratus can be controlled. claiming apparatus may be fed oil line so that only a portion oil employed inthe motor is treated at a time, the remainder of the oil being sufficient for the normal operation of the motor.

The filtering material is preferably supported within the container as follows: A pair of perforated plates 28 and 29 are supported within the casing A in spaced relation and between them is placed filtering material of any suitable material, such as cotton waste, mineral wool, etc. A retaining ring 29 is placed above the plate 29'and is secured to the outer cylinder III by means of bolts 29h.

If desired, an l be employed to supply the heat within the pipe 23, the current for the element being 4generated by the motor.

In the operation of is passed from through the valve controlled inlet pipe I3 into the outer chamber formed between the casing walls A and B. The oil is passed upwardly through the perforated plate 28, filtering material 30 and perforated plate 29. The lter oill then flows through overflow pipe 2I into the inner chamber afforded by cylinder comes in contact with the heating pipe 23. The oil ows downwardly about the heating pipe 23 and the perforated tube 22 to the bottom of the chamber where it is drawn through outlet pipe I5. To heat the pipe 23. exhaust gases from the motor are drawn through inlet pipe 25 and pass through the elbow of the fittinginto the vertical pipe the device, lubricating oil is preferably provided of the lubricating electric resistance element may the crank case or oil by-pass linepipe chamber and are withdrawn. therefrom through outlet pipe 26.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, a thermostatic or expansion element 3| is secured to the cap 24 by screw .32. The'element is equipped at its lower end with a valve member 33 which closes or partially closes the opening to the outlet pipe 26 when the element 3| is expanded. When the heat of the exhaust gases becomes excessive, the element 3| will expand and close the outlet pipe 26 or reduce the flow of gases therethrough so as to reduce the temperature of the heating pipe 23.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, three perforated plates 34 are supported between the overow pipe 2|EL and the cap 24a and serve to distribute the oil in drops evenly over the deiiector cap 24a. It will be noted that the cap is pointed and that its sides engage the perforated tube 22a.

It will be observed that the gasoline, water,

. or other vapors passing off from the heated oil may escape through the aligned openings and I8 of the cap I1.

The reclaiming unit, as described, is very compact in form and may be supported conveniently below the hood of an automobile and near the exhaust pipe thereof, to which suitable connections can be made for passing the exhaust gases through the heating pipe. By connecting the oil feed line with the by-pass line, only a small portion of the lubricant will normally be passed through the apparatus so that, even if clogging should occur Within the apparatus, sufficient lubricatingv oil will be supplied to the bearings of the motor. The filtering of the incoming oil prior to its Contact with the heating element protects the heating chamber and prepares the oil for the heat treatment, the cleaned oil responding much more readily to the action of heat in removing Water, gasoline, etc. The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should-be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

l. In apparatus of the character set forth, adapted for use with an internal combustion means supported in said outer cylinder, a pipe extending` into `said inner chamber, connections between said pipe and the exhaust manifold of chambers, an inlet through which oil may be passed into said outer chamber, and an outlet pipe communicating with the bottom o f said inner chamber.

2. In apparatus ofthe vcharacter set forth, a pair of nested receptables providing inner and outer chambers, ltering means supported in said outer chamber, heating means supported in said inner chamber, an overflow pipe connecting said outer chamber and said inner chamber, a perforated plate supported in said inner chamber below said overow pipe and above said heating means, means for passing' oil through said outer chamber, and means for Withdrawing oil from said inner chamber.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, a pair of nested receptacles providing inner and outer chambers, filtering means supported in the outer chamber, a heating pipe supported in said being provided with a cap closing the upper end thereof, an overow pipe establishing communication between the outer chamber and the inner chamber, and a plurality. of spaced perforated plates extending across said inner chamber between said overow pipe and said cap, means for passing oil through said outer chamber, and means for withdrawing oil from said inner chamber.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, a pair of nested receptacles providing inner and within said inner chamber for spreading the oil in a thin lrn within said inner chamber to prooil from said inner chamber.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, a pair of nested receptacles providing inner and outer chambers, filtering means supported in the outer chamber, a heating pipe supported in said central portion of the top of sald heating pipe to cause said oil to flow evenly about said heating pipe, means for passing oil through said outer chamber, and means for withdrawing oil from said inner chamber.

WILLIAM SCHWALGE. 

